Acute Porphyria is a group of diseases that affect production of heme and result in excessive secretion of porphyrin precursors and porphyrins. Acute Porphyria term includes 4 similar inherited diseases in it. Those terms are acute intermittent Porphyria, plumpoporphyria, hereditary coroporphyria and variegate Porphyria. It is commonly observed that 1 out of 75000 people suffer from the acute attacks of the disease. The condition is termed as acute because it starts with severe pain of abdomen and sometimes also experienced in thighs or back. Alternatives names of the disease are erythropoietic protoporphyria, congenital erythropoietic Porphyria, cute intermittent Porphyria and Hereditary coproporphyria. The disease is experienced by more women as compared to men.

Porphyrias are mainly caused due to enzyme deficiencies that take place in the heme production pathway. These deficiencies are result of exposure to environmental infectious agents or toxins or due to inborn errors of metabolism

Though, there is no sure-fire way of preventing attacks of acute Porphyria, by taking certain precautions its risk can be avoided. Avoid intake of all kinds of alcohol, avoid low calorie diet, etc are certain measures that help in minimizing its risk significantly.